Time-fuse



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet'l. W. J. SMITH..-

TIME FUSE.

120.527,222. Patented oct. 9, 1894.

No Model.) I l 2 sheets-sheet 2.

W. J. SMITH.

TIME FUSE.

N0. 527,222. Patented 001;. 9, 1824.

. 4' .IES-Z- A TES lhtrrnnrr ilirricn.

TllVlE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Le 't Fuse ers 'tent No. 527,222, datedOctober 9, 1894.

^nplication Filed October Z5, lSQS. Serial No. 489,120, l/Nu modell '/'oalt ufl/.011% it may concern.-

I -e it known that I, WinLLui: .Tous Snrrn, a citizen of the lfnitedStates, residing at New llave-min thocountyof Nc'wllaven and State I ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExplotlers for lrojectiles, ofv which the followinpr is aspccification.

)Iy invention relates to exploders for projectiles, and my inventionconsists of an cxploder in which there is a spring actuated hammer, alock therefor, a detent for said lock, and means for regulating themovement of the lock, all as sot forth hereinafter and as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in'

which- Figure l illustrates a projectile in part section sufiicient toshow my improved exploder.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the case of the exploder. Fig. 5 5 isa View showing the parts in position after firing; Fig. et, an enlargedsection on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

lVithin-a case A, which is fitted neatly to an opening in the exteriorof the projectile, 1s arranged a spring,r actuated hammer B, sliding inan opening beneath which is a nipple for the reception ot' acap or otherigniter to, and pressed toward said cap by a spring 4. A lock ot' anysuitable character serves to hold the hammer B in position with thespring compressed so thatcn the 'release of the hammer by the action ofthe said lock, the hamme1 will be forced percussively against the capand explode the charge of the shell.

'Phe lock that holds the hammer maybe of any suitable character. Asshown, it is a rod J, sliding in an opening which crosses the. openingin which the hammer slides and servn lng when beneath the hammer to holdit in position with the spring' compressed.

With the lock 5' is combined a spring 7 which tends to throw the lock ina position to unlock the hammer, but as it is not desired that the lockshall thus be -moved until the gun is fired and sometimes until theshell is to explode, I make use of a detent which holds the lock inplace until the charge is to be eX- ploded, or in the cascof a timeexploder, until the lock is to begin to move from beneath the hammer.

The arrangement of parts in connection with a time exploder startedinaction on l firing the i;un is illustrated in a separate applicationfor Letters Patent, SerialNo. 863039, liled on the fl-lth day ofOctober, 1893, the special arrangement herein shown servinf.;V for anexploder in which the locking device is caused to release the devicethat locks the hammer on the striking of the shell against any object.In this construction the lock 5 is combined withadetent which tends tohold the lock in position with the spring 7 compressed until the saiddetent is distnrhed by the concussion resulting from the contact of theprojectile with an object.

Different detents maybe employed to hold and release the lock 5. Asshown, there isa cylindrical bolt l) which slides in an opening`transverse to the axis of the rod 5, and with a transverse opening 5,which, when the detent is in its normaposition is outof line with theaxis of .tho rod, but which Will be brought into line with the rod whenthe detent is shifted bythe concussion of the shell. As shown, thesprinfr 7 is in a cylinder or chamber y and hears against a piston` Cupon the rod 5, tending to move the rod toward the detent D, which is inthe form ota cylindrical block sliding in a ovlindrical chamber in theblock A, the face oi' the detcnt where the end ol' the rod 5 hearsagainst it being flattened to prevent the dctont from turning. 'lhorealsoalongitudinnl openi the detent which willennble it to move freelyfrom end to end of the chamber which is longer than the detent which issituated in it. These parts are so arranged that the detent will beshifted by the concussion. As shown, the head of the detent is towardthe `rear of the shell when the parts are in the position shown in Fig.l, and when the shell strikes any object the momentum will cause thedetent to move forward -mgitudinally in the shell and bring the openingf5 in line with the lockingr rod 5.

The parts arranged as above described may be used .for an exploder wherethe explosion is to take place the moment the projectile strikes theobject. In many cases, however, it is desirable that there shall be aninterval of time between. the striking ol' the shell and the explosionand to this end, I provide meansf'or retarding themovement of the' lockevenafter the detent D has shifted in v,position to release the lock. Tothis end, I make use of a dash pot. The dash pot may be constructed indierent ways,'but as shown, I utilize the piston C and the chamber y inwhich the piston and 'spring and rod 5 are arranged, placing a body ofoil in the chamber, and connecting -the opposite ends of the chamber bya by-passage j", and in order to regulate the iiow and consequently theinterval between the striking and explosion, I make use of a valve whichmore or leSS throttles this by-passage, Y

The yalve may be of any suitable character. Asshown, it is a plug 8having an opening s which by the turning of the plug may be broughttocoincide more or less with the channelf, and on the end of'the plug isan arm or pointer d which extends. to a gradu- Vated arc u, so that bysetting the pointer to different positions and more or less throttlingIthe channelf, the movement of the piston of the dash pot after thedetent' D has been shifted may be predetermined and regulated to anydesired extent.

The liquid .used -may be oil, glycerine, vWater, mercury, or any otherliquid which may b e found t6 be available or desirable.

Although I have shown a hammer and a de tent in .the form of .acylindrical block sliding in an opening, it will be4 evident that the.

formsof'these parts may be varied to a'very considerable extent withoutdeparting from the mainv features -oEV my invention; and although I have'shown a dash pot of a certain form, it will be evident that diifepentforms of dash pots or liquid retarding devices may be employed..

I do not limit myself to the particular means described ofshifting thedetent D, that is by the ccncussion,inasmuch as it may be shiftedeitherby concussion or by direct action of the gases when the charge inthe gunis fired'and before the projectile leaves the gun, as set forthin my aforesaid other application for Letters Patent.

Vithout limiti-ng myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown, I

1. An exploder for projectiles provided with a spring actuated hammer, alock for holding the hammer in position with the spring compressed, aspring for moving the lock in one direction to release the hammer, and adetent for holding the lock in position with its spring compressed,substantially as set forth.

The combination in/an exploder for projectiies, of a spring actuatedhammer, a lock therefor, a detent for holding the said lock, a springfor actuating-the lock, and a dash pot for regulating the movement ofthe loclr, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a projectile havy ing a recess, of a case fittedto said recess, a cylinder in said` case provided with a piston andpiston rod, spring for .moving the piston in one direction, an escapeport ,and valve,

and a liquid filling the cylinderon one side of thefpiston, a hammerandlock therefor -`connected with the piston,`,andv a detent for lockingthe lock in its position with' the actuating springcompressed,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in an ex-ploder for projectiles, o t a springactuated hammer, a lock, a spring for actuating the lock, and a detentconsisting of ablock arranged to lmove longitudinally in the shellvonstriking an object -and constructed to release the lock when so shiftedand a dash pot controlling the movement of said lock, substantially asset forth.

6. The combinationl in an exploder for prot jectiles,of aspring actuatedhammerya lock, a detent therefor, a spring acting on the lock, and adash pot and valve for regulating the movementiof the liquid from thedash pot, the said detent arranged tol move longitudinallyin the shellwhen theshell strikesan object', substauti'allyas Set-furtif.'

7. The combination with a recessed sheli, of a block or frameA'containing .a hammer and spring for actuating the same, a lock forholding the hammer in its retracted position, a spring for moving thelock in-onedirection, a dasli pot for regnlatingthe movement ot' t'nelock, and a detent consisting of a sliding block arranged to constitutea bearing for a part of the lock and to release the lock when theblockmoves forward, substantially as set forth. l i

8. The combination in an exploder for pro- IOO IIO

jectiles, of a case or block containing a vspring actuated hammer, asliding rod extending beneath said hammer when the spring is compressedand provided with a piston sliding in a cylinder, a spring bearingagainst said piston,a passage extending between the ends of the cylinderand provided with an adjustable valve, and a detent for the rod 5,arranged to move longitudinally in the shell,

`substantially as set forth.

In .testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence ottWo subscribing witnesses. i

- WILLIAM JOHN SMI-TH.

C. C. MoNsnN, GEO. L. Amis/mono.

